Give Harrison Ford The Emmy For ‘Shrinking,’ You Cowards

Back in 2024, I passionately made a case for why Harrison Ford should win an Emmy for his standout Shrinking Season 2 performance. Much to my delight, at age 83, Ford received his first Emmy nomination for his hilarious, heartfelt work as Paul Rhoades, a prickly therapist navigating Parkinson’s disease. While the Television Academy’s refreshing recognition was long overdue, Somebody Somewhere’s talented Jeff Hiller surprised with the victory. So on the heels of Shrinking Season 3, I’m reporting for duty once again to advocate for Ford’s 2026 Emmy win.

When you watch a performance as affecting as the one Ford delivers in Shrinking’s emotional Season 2 finale, it’s difficult to imagine the actor ever topping it. But just five minutes into Shrinking’s Season 3 premiere, it’s clear that Ford is locked-in and fully prepared to level up.

We open on Paul standing in front of the bathroom mirror shirtless, at Ford’s request. He’s grumpy because Julie’s (Wendie Malick) shower is about to fog up the room, but he cheekily asks her to wipe the glass so he can see her face and “fun zone.” Seconds later, his spirits plummet as his hand trembles while he attempts to squeeze toothpaste onto his toothbrush. He exchanges a knowing glance with himself in the mirror and silently processes the progression of his symptoms.

The next time we see Paul, he’s telling a patient that his meds are losing efficacy. With sad eyes and a defeated tone, he apologizes for his distracting tremors and offers to cover his hand with a blanket, boldly noting that it’ll look like he’s pleasuring himself to the man’s financial woes. After the session, he heads to the neurologist’s office, where he meets fellow Parkinson’s patient, Gerry (Michael J. Fox). In one of the series’ most meaningful scenes, the two effortlessly banter, exchanging sharp, inspiring wit that’s rooted in truth and never diminishes the harsh realities those with the disease face. Before the opening credits roll, Paul says “Fuck Parkinson’s,” accepts that the end of his life will be hard, and tells Jimmy he can either “be a self-pitying shithead or suck the marrow out of what’s left.” Paul earnestly asks Jimmy to keep him in check, then switches gears and cackles in the driver’s seat of a car as he speeds around a race track, regaining some semblance of the freedom he’s lost.

While the cold-open doesn’t hold Ford’s greatest Season 3 performances, it swiftly reminds viewers of his captivating character work and remarkable range. Over 11 episodes, the living legend makes us laugh out loud and tear up too many times to track, and often simultaneously. It’s no easy feat to tap into levity while navigating such a ruthless disease and confronting your character’s mortality, but Ford’s nuanced portrayal of Paul perfectly captures the constantly conflicting emotions that make Shrinking’s grief comedy so rich and resonant. 

From cursing out a girls soccer team from the bleachers and explaining that threesomes with men “used to be mandatory,” to calling Parkinson’s-induced hallucinations “hallulus,” firing a text from his burner phone, or (unknowingly) humming the Indiana Jones theme to introduce himself, it’s no secret that Ford has fun on the Apple TV comedy. And who could forget the hilarious, scene-stealing facial journey he embarks on while watching Michael Urie and Jason Segel’s performance of Les Mis’ “The Confrontation?” In interviews with Decider, Urie and Ted McGinley shouted out the scene as one of Season 3’s best, with Urie even suggesting Ford use it for his Emmy clip.

While he’s dazzled in drama and built a legendary career as a movie star, over three seasons of Shrinking Ford has carved out a well-deserved space amongst fellow supporting TV stars in the comedy genre. Because Shrinking is a comedy with drama ingrained in its DNA, however, failure to gush over his soul-stirring work in the series would be a disservice. 

I frequently think back to comments the actor made at a 2024 FYC event, when he shared that Shrinking fans don’t approach him for photos, autographs, or personal requests. They simply share their love for the show with him and move on. “They’re knitting into this empathetic framework and they’re not seeing me as an actor,” Ford said. “They’re seeing me as someone that they’ve had this nature of experience with.”

The Shrinking star buries himself so deep in this role that his iconic star-power doesn’t even distract. It’s a glowing testament to the care with which Ford approaches this particular project and his profoundly impactful Parkinson’s portrayal. His commitment to prioritizing honest representation and honoring those who struggle with the debilitating disease —  including Fox, and Lawrence and Goldstein’s family members — regularly reduces me to tears. And as that performance evolves each season, it’s a major reason why Paul feels far more akin to a real-life loved one or relatable mirror reflection than a thoughtfully written, well-executed character. 

Ford has been doing Emmy-worthy work on Shrinking since the start and has no shortage of lovable scenes this year. He brings something special to each on-screen relationship, be it his swoonworthy romance with Julie, paternal scenes with Meg (Lily Rabe), or softer mentorship of Sean (Luke Tennie) and Alice (Lukita Maxwell). But Paul’s poignant Episode 4 hug with Jimmy, his Episode 9 heart-to-heart with Gaby (Jessica Williams), Episode 10’s gut wrenching balcony scene blowout, and his final Episode 11 resulted in some of my biggest Season 3 sobs.

Paul and Gaby’s deepened dynamic has become one of Shrinking’s most compelling relationships, and Williams compared Ford’s “mind-blowing” performance as Paul told Gaby she was his legacy to a pivotal scene in Oppenheimer and said, “It was like watching a supernova. It was a masterclass.” (The small screen embodiment of Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture winner has to be worthy of an Emmy, right?!)

Meanwhile, as Paul and Jimmy entered uncharted emotional territory, the generous actors excelled as scene partners. Watching Ford absorb the internal blows of Segel’s Emmy-worthy misplaced aggression in Season 3’s penultimate episode was utterly crushing. And seeing him flip the script and deliver an award-worthy monologue back to Segel in the finale was the warm hug we all needed before Paul moved to Connecticut. If you can watch Ford’s loaded line reading of “What a shame to be 42 years of age and not completely covered in scars, they’re the evidence of a life fully lived” without your lip quivering, you’re far stronger than I am. And if you can get through Paul’s intimate declaration of love to Jimmy without bursting out in tears, I simply can’t relate!

Each time the seasoned film and TV star shares words of wisdom in that gravely Batman voice he uses “for gravitas,” your ears can’t help but hang onto every word like it’s meant for you personally. Paul ends his final Season 3 scene by telling Jimmy to “choose wisely” when deciding whether to stay stuck or move forward. And while the message is another delightful Indiana Jones reference, it also serves as a perfect reminder to Emmy voters as they consider who to award the 2026 Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.

Six decades into his career with nearly 100 credits to his name, Ford is doing some of the greatest work ever on Shrinking, and he adores the show so much he’s said, “If it was all over here, that would be sufficient for me.” As far as awards go, I consider Shrinking vastly underrated in every category. The series received nine Emmy nominations, but has yet to win any. And in addition to Ford, Segel and Williams top the long list of Season 3 stars worthy of accolades. Though I frequently remind myself that past snubs like Steve Carell never winning an Emmy for The Office and Better Call Saul losing all 53 nominations over its six-season run prove that awards have no direct bearing on a show’s quality or success — in fact, repeatedly losing is kind of badass! — I’d be lying if I said I didn’t really want this one for Ford. 

Prior to Hiller’s surprise 2025 win for Somebody Somewhere‘s final season, The Bear’s Ebon Moss-Bachrach won Emmys in Ford’s category in 2024 and 2023, and the two years before that, Shrinking co-creator/star Brett Goldstein won for Ted Lasso. The Bear‘s fourth season was its lowest rated on Rotten Tomatoes yet, and though Ted Lasso is returning in Summer 2026, its fourth season won’t arrive before the May 31, 2026 eligibility cutoff. So while The Bear will likely be nominated again this year — along with Hacks, several other series, and potentially another Shrinking star like Urie — if voters choose wisely and consider the impressive scope of Ford’s Shrinking performance, this could (and should) be Ford’s year.

Shrinking Season 3 is now streaming on Apple TV.